Henry smith



H. SMITH.

FASTENER FOR WEARING APPAREL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 26| 191B- Pat-ented Aug. 5, 1919.

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' 'f' I Lapplicati@ma november 26,1918. seria1No.2e4,1a1.

. UNITi-w OFFICE v nenni sMiTH, or. r'rrrnannmaare,` PENNSYLVANIA.

To all whomfz't'm'ay concern:

Be it known FthatLJHENRY SMITH, a citi` zen of fthe United States,fand aresident of Philadelphia; in the county `of A"Philadelphia and 'State'of Pennsylvania, ihave invented certain "newf =and useful Improvements`in Fasteners for '-Vearlngv-Apparel, whereof the following isspecification, reference being h-ad to the accompanying drawings.4v

My invention relates to' an'ovel'type of fastener, which, "in'a'ce1tain`sense,may be considered 'as 'a substitute-fora button-hole andexternally nvisible buttongwhile still retaining the normal appearanoeofthe latter devices, my improvements being peculiarly appropriate for thefastening of a coat, where it is desired to preservel the normalappearance, but they ycan befutilized for shoes, gaiters, or indeed"any, article where meeting edges are to be detachably secured.

In the accompanying drawings, FigureI, represents a view, in elevation,of the proximate edges of a coat-front, provided with my device, theparts being shown in open position. e

Fig. II, is a similar view shagwing the proximate edges of the coatoverlapping and the parts in a closed position.

Fig. III, is a longitudinal section on the line III, III, of lFig. II.

Fig. IV, is a detail sectional view illustrating the method of attachingthe button.

The proximate edges of the garment, such as a coat front, arerepresented at 1, and 2, respectively, the part 2, being provided withan elongated slot, such as an ordinary button-hole 3. Opposite to thelocation of the button-hole, I apply on the part 1, an eX- ternallyprojecting loop 4, preferably of non-elastic cord, of such color and soattached to the fabric, as to be relatively inconspicuous, when the twoarts of the coatfront are open. In the form shown, the loop is appliedupon the external face of the garment, since this is the most convenientlocation.

On the inner side of the fabric of the part 2, and preferably betweenthe fabric proper and the lining 7, I insert an elastic strip 8,suitably secured in position, as by stitching 9, at the rear portion,and at, or near, the front extremity of said strip, which normallyshould lie opposite to the slot 3, I attach a hook 10, whose openingfaces toward the rear extremity of the strip. Upon that surface of theelastic strip which is opv ton 12;l

" irlisrnrrrin ron. Wmo-APPAREL.

Patented-Aug. 5, 1919.

posite to the point of attachment of the hook 10,1 provide means forconveniently graspy ing the elastic strip for insertion anddetaehmentvof the uhook,and in order to preserve the characteristicappearance of a button and button-hole fastening and `to con ceal theend of the strip and also the hook, I prefer to employ an ordinarycoat-but- A convenient construction whereby the hook land button may besecured to the elastic strip,.is illustrated in Fig. IV. As thereinshown, the hook 10, is formed with a shank ll,the outer end of which istubular. After assembling, the protruding tubular end` of the shank 11,is rolled or pressed over the facey of the button l2, and .thereby 1permanently united thereto, the trip 8, being at the `same time securelypinched between.`

the base of the hook and the` back of the button.-"

`The attachment for the button 12, as will be seen by reference to Fig.III, extends through the button-hole 3, and thus the button and the hookopposite thereto are free to move throughout a range corresponding tothe length'of the button-hole 3.

When it is desired to fasten the garment, the proximate edges may beoverlapped, as shown in Figs. II, and III, the elastic strip stretch-ed,and the hook 10, made to engage within the loop 4. The stretching isreadily, performed by grasping the button 12, with the hand. Uponreleasing the button from the hand, the elastic strip springs back to anormal position, thus insuring the permanent engagement of the loop 4,by the hook 10, and the button 12, may thus assume the position whichmay be considered as a normal one within the button-hole 3. Detachmentcan obviously be effected by the reverse movement.

I am, of course, aware that the use of hooks upon elastic strips is notnew, and I make no broad claim to such a device, but, so far as I amaware, the combination above described, which conserves the normalappearance of a button and |button-hole effect of fastening, which canbe applied to any ordinary garment, and which at the same time providesa yielding attachment, free from all of the disadvantages of ordinarybutton fastenings and which is inconspicuous when in open position, isnew.

I wish it to be understood that I use the term loop simply as indicativeof a part capable of being engaged by a hook Without restriction of theoharaeter of suoli and furthermore, that IV donot restrictv part, myselfto any ment of Said particular local-ity for attach-l.

that it should be capable of engaging the hook and that the'z'liooklshould be So? mount-l ed as to be capable of reaching; it whenv the;

proximate edges of the garment are to be secured to :onepano-tlfier.-A vf Y I also use'thefterm, "button simply as a convenient one to indicateany externa-l.mem-V ber which may servethepurpose of affording a meansfor grasping the velastic",strip and stretching it, and which, ifdesred, may.

also-conceal theend of thestrip, and` :preserve thel normal appearanceof any` ordir nary bu-tton and button-hole fastening@ 1.1m combinationWith the. proeximate.

edge portions of .an article of apparel `a loop mounted upon! one of'said portionsv adir jacent to theledge thereof; the. @thereof said.

portions being provided with` a` slot;

elastic member seouredfrat one eXtrem-ity to said lastvmenti'onedportion and' having: a-

ree end capable of extension ltovthe region; of said, .slot al hoolrmounted upon. lthey free Copies of this patent may be obtained for loop,it being only neees'saryvlm u f edge portions Yportion o'f'said elasticmember and adapted to engage said, loop; and a button alsoIrhlountedugpon` said elastic" member to over- :11esa1d-sl0t;,substantially as set forth.

In "combination with the proximate loop mounted upon one of saidportion/sad- .jagent to, tlie-r edge; thereof; the other of saidportions being providedV with a slot; an elastie member secured` at one.extremityto said last nientilwd portion and; vhaving free end capablevofextension t0,- the region of saidr` slot; .a hook'V mounted lupon theyfree- Y ,Y HENRY SMITH.

Witnesses:

f JAMES BELL,

L, EULLIiRaro-N,

time; gmts earthA ,bye adrgsingg the Commissioner of Vintents,Washngtomnyf of an article of apparel; a"

hereunto e

